Might's Odyssey (The Event Book 2) (19 page)

Gbenga had a worried look on his face as the driver eased the Toyota Prado jeep through the gate of the Ascona teaching hospital complex on the Lagos/Ibadan expressway. He looked smart in a dark blue suit and a pristine white shirt. He wore no tie.

He glanced at the watch on his wrist as the car began the five-minute drive leading from the gate to the buildings within the teaching hospital. It was 4.30pm.

He had not been able to leave Lagos as early as he would have liked. Bernard was putting final touches to the bunker. It would be ready in the next three weeks at the most.

The long driveway ended at a massive three-story structure. A sign on top of this building read Ascona Administrative complex. His driver slowed the jeep down as they passed in front of it.

“No don’t stop here. Go round the back, we are going to the last building on this road.”

The driver nodded and made a right turn. The road stretched on for about twelve kilometers. There were buildings on either side of the road. The front of these buildings teemed with activity. Doctors, nurses, patients and their families exited and entered.

Another turning lay to their left. There was a building just before you reached the turning. Gbenga’s eyes hardened when he looked at the two-story structure. A sign beside it read accident and casualty.

“Drive in there.”

The driver turned the car into the parking lot in front of it. He found a parking space and quickly turned off the engine. Gbenga sighed and reached for his cane.

Opening the door carefully, he stepped out, being very careful not to rest too heavily on his right leg. Limping forward, he headed to the entrance.

The door opened before he reached it and a pleasant faced nurse hurried out. She paused when she saw him limping towards the door.

“Can I help you sir?” Her eyes were gleaming pools of hazel as she glanced at his limping walk worriedly.

“As a matter of fact you can __”

He stopped a foot away from her and held out his hand for a shake. She took his hand slowly. He was surprised by her firm grip. She shook hands like a man.

“I was a patient here about three months ago. I had an accident you see and ended up in coma. There were three others in the ward with me when I came out of the coma. I want to know if they are still there.”

“You have to talk to one of the doctors. I have not been in this ward long. Was transferred here a couple of weeks ago from the male medical ward.”

“Ok __ could you take me to the doctor in charge?”

She nodded stepping aside so he could walk by. “It’s just down the hall; would you like to go first?”

“No you go ahead. I prefer to follow you. Don’t go too fast though, my leg doesn’t allow me to move as fast as I would like.”

She nodded pulling the door open. A short corridor led to the nurse’s station. To the right, halfway down this corridor was a staircase. She made her way to the staircase, beginning to climb as soon as she reached it.

He followed her as quickly as he could. The staircase opened into another corridor leading to a tee junction. There was a sign on the wall in front of each turning.

The first sign said critical condition. The second said doctor’s offices. She led him down the corridor leading to the doctor’s offices. Several mahogany doors rose on either side of the wall with the names of the doctor stenciled on the front of it.

She continued walking, heading for the door at the opposite end. The name on this door read Doctor Ola Majekodunmi. Reaching it, she knocked twice.

“Yes?” A gruff voice barked from within.

“Its Cecelia sir__”

“What do you want?”

“I have a former patient with me who has some questions he wants to ask.”

There was a pause before__

“Ok send him in__”

She opened the door slowly and stepped aside to allow Gbenga to pass. He limped in slowly, surprised when he recognized the plump man seated behind the large mahogany desk.

A surprised look came on the doctor’s face as he walked in.

“Mr. Akintunde???? What brings you here? Last I heard you were being treated by doctors in Lagos.”

A wan smile lifted the corners of Gbenga’s lips slightly as he reached over the man’s desk for a handshake. They shook hands firmly before Doctor Majekodunmi pointed to the chair for him to sit down.

Gbenga sank into it slowly, careful not to brush his leg against the side of the desk.

“I am not here for treatment; I am here on account of the four other patients who were in coma in my ward when I woke up.”

“I see__” from his puzzled expression Gbenga could see that he did not see at all.

“Are they still here?”

“Two of them are__ you had the big nameless one transferred to a private hospital in Lagos if I recall?”

“Yeah I did__”

“How is he? Has he woken up now?”

“Unfortunately no__”

“Such a shame__ in cases like this, one can only hope and pray for God’s intervention. Sometimes they are so far gone that they never wake up.”

“Well I am hoping this one will__” There was a hard edge to Gbenga’s voice as he said this.

“I didn’t mean__” Majekodunmi began slowly.

“It doesn’t matter__ you said only two are here. What happened to the last one?”

“He died.”

Gbenga’s heart skipped a couple of beats. Since he said he, it had to be either Falcon or Bullseye.

“Describe him please__”

“Tall, dark, well built with hard angry features.”

A sigh burst from Gbenga’s lips. Bullseye was no more.

“Can I see them please?”

“Of course you can__” Majekodunmi said rising to his feet.

He led Gbenga out of his office towards the ward at the opposite end of the corridor. Reaching it, he pulled it open and walked in. Gbenga followed as quickly as he could. His eyes narrowed when he saw the long line of beds on either side of the long room.

He spotted Brainwave and Falcon almost immediately. They lay on his extreme right. People who he assumed were family members gathered around each bed.

His feet dragged him inexplicably to Brainwave side. Even in her unconscious state, she was still as beautiful as ever. Sadness filled his heart. He was partly to blame for the state she was in. They had been having an affair. He took her on that last doomed business trip. Now she was here and she might never wake up. He was so consumed in his guilty thoughts that he did not notice Doctor Majekodunmi walk away.

Her words came rushing back into his head at that moment.
“Find me Swift__ find me before it is too late.”

A hard frown roughened his brow. The question now was how was he supposed to find her? Was she still trapped in Nephilim? Or some place else. And even if she was, how did he get her out. He could not possibly put himself back in a coma could he? A heavy silence ensured covering the entire ward like a shroud.

A girl between the ages of fifteen and eighteen sat beside her bed. Her eyes were brownish black limpid pools. She was pretty, not in the striking, breathtaking way Brainwave was, but pretty all the same.

The sky blue dress she wore complimented her light skin. The dress reached her knees showing off her flawless legs. She had the braids on her head packed into a thick bun at the base of her skull. Her beautiful eyes were fixed on Gbenga’s face, as if she wondered what he was doing here.

“Sorry__” Gbenga spluttered wondering why he was apologizing.

“It’s not a problem.” She said evenly.

There was more silence.

“Was she a friend of yours?”

Gbenga paused, unsure of how to answer.

“You could say that__”

There was another pause.

“I miss her__”

That simple statement brought tears to Gbenga’s eyes.

“Is she your sister?”

“Yeah__ she is five years older than me. I love her so much. Its difficult seeing her like this.”

“How long has it been?”

“Almost a year now__”

“Wow! That long?”

“Yeah__ I am the only one who still comes to the hospital. Mum and dad hardly ever do. It’s too painful for them.”

“Are you and her the only children of your parents?”

“Yes__ after Bose was born, my mother had a hard time conceiving again. They had practically given up hope when I came.”

“What’s your name?”

“Faith__”

“Ahh! Very nice name__”

She smiled coyly and his heart tightened. She was a beauty in her own right. Men were probably falling over themselves to get her attention.

“Mum says that faith brought me to them just like Isaac came to Abraham and Sarah.”

“Your parents are Christians?”

“Staunch ones o! Our church teaches us about faith all the time. The mandate is ‘Without faith it is impossible to please God’.

“Pleasing God would be easier if we were sure of what he really wants.” Gbenga said in a low tone, almost unaware that he had spoken aloud.

“But that’s easy isn’t it?” She began slowly.

“What is?”

“Knowing what God wants.”

“How is that easy?”

“His book__ the bible. What he wants is clearly written within its pages.”

“His meanings and messages are cryptic at best.”

“Strange you should say that, I have never had trouble knowing what he wants. I guess it is just his grace upon my life. Each time I pick up the bible I always get something new.”

“Lucky you__”

She chuckled, the husky sound making his heart tighten again.

“You sound so __” She paused unsure of how to continue.

“Cynical?”

“Sad I think is the word I was looking for. I sensed sadness mixed with a dash of anger in your words.”

“Are you mad at God?”

He froze his eyes and face growing thunderous. Her face fell when she saw the expression on his face and a nervous look entered her eyes.

“I best be going__ sorry I took your time.”

He spun around without another word and headed to the exit. Stopping halfway, he turned and came back.

“I would like to be kept abreast of her progress or lack thereof. Could you keep me posted?”

“No problem sir __”

“Give me your phone number.”

She quickly gave him and he saved it on his phone. Dialing the number, he waited for it to ring. Once it did, he cut it.

“That’s my number. Even if you don’t have credit to call, just flash me and I will call you back ok?”

She nodded slowly without speaking. He was about to go when he realized he had forgotten her name.

“I am sorry but what’s your name again?”

“Faith__”

“Nice meeting your Faith. Take care.”

“You too Mr. ___” She let her words hang.

“Akintunde. Mr. Gbenga Akintunde.”

“Right__”

He turned and walked out of the ward. Ten minutes later, he was back in the Prado heading to Lagos. 

Might had his eyes closed as the light carried him across millions of galaxies in microseconds. The warm powerful feeling churning on his insides was intoxicating.

Suddenly of their own volition, his eyes fluttered open. At a point almost beyond what his eyes could see, he spotted a bright X. He was approaching the drop point. He struck it seconds later and everything went black.

The doors of the cylinder shaped tube slid open with a whoosh. Thick clouds of smoke and steam billowed out of it. Stepping out slowly, he swayed for a couple of seconds before becoming steady.

“Welcome back stranger__”
Maggie FT 8 said smoothly. There was a laughing quality to her words. He got the sense that she had not expected him to return.

“Stop calling me stranger. My name is Might!”

“I stand corrected then__ Might.”

He frowned gritting his teeth. Call him picky but the way she said his name made him very angry. Were software programs supposed to sound so sardonic? Since he had no answer to that he began to strip off his light jump suit.

When he had taken it off, he remembered he had not removed the keycards. As if the suit sensed what he was thinking, a compartment on its side slid open and the two keycards came out.

Reaching down, he picked them up, examining them carefully.

“Join them together__”

He held them together and with a clack, they morphed becoming a single flat entity shaped like a seven-inch tablet computer. A holographic image beamed out a few seconds later and an elderly man appeared. It was not Holdstatt this time.

“This is Chief of staff Jeffrey Montgomery. I am responsible for the second keycard.”

The image fizzled out, instantly replaced by a set of coordinates. Might memorized them. The hologram shut down three minutes later with a loud screech.

“Maggie!” He barked out.

“Yes stranger__ I mean Might.”

“I need weapons, battle armor and a means of transport. Can you help?”

“But of course I can.”
Maggie replied chuckling.

Ten feet ahead, more computers moved aside revealing a hidden chamber. Might walked forward to examine it. There was a seat inside but nothing else.

“Sit down __ while I prep the chamber for the Gideon launch.”

“Gideon launch?”

“We are off world Might. The Gideon launch is a transportation tube that will carry you to one of our armories close to what used to be the coast. There you will find all you need; Weapons, food, armor and even water. Microscopic robots maintain the weapons. We call them nanbots. They also maintain other sophisticated equipment that include the planes, hover cycles and all terrain vehicles. The nanbots keep them in good working conditions.”

Might paused at the entrance looking down at the tablet shaped keycard in his hand. It was time! Time to find Darwin __ time to escape from this crazy world.

Taking a deep breath, he stepped into the chamber sinking down on the large seat. The door closed, sealing him inside with a whoosh. Seatbelts came out of the sides of the chair and strapped themselves around his torso.

The room started to shake seconds later.

“Brace yourself__”
Maggie said.

The chamber streaked forward disappearing into bright light.

The journey was fast and more than a little bumpy. He could not tell how long he traveled when the chamber came to a shaky halt. The door opened with a whoosh and light streamed into the dark chamber.

He sighed raising his hands to shield his eyes from the glare of the light. The seatbelts strapping him to the chair came off with a clack. Rising slowly, he stepped out of the chamber into a wide hall.

All around him, on shelves, cubicles and even strapped to the wall were weapons of every kind and sort. The hall stretched many miles into the distance. How far exactly it was, was what he could not tell. The opposite end was dark and gloomy, not lit by the light illuminating this part of the hall.

To his right lay a long tube like pole shaped a bit like the hanger inside a wardrobe. Hanging on this tube were more than two dozen battle suits covered in a shimmering sort of liquid that dribbled off as he approached.

Picking a bulky black one off the rack, he held it to his body to see if it was the right size. It was, more or less that is. When he tried to take it off his body to see how he could wear it, he found he was unable to.

The threads liquefied and stuck to him. Moments later, it covered his body from head to toe like black gel starting to harden almost immediately. A helmet with a glass visor covered his head and face. The gel solidified around his bulky frame becoming harder than steel, but remaining surprisingly light.

He raised his fists slowly, examining the steel hard gloves. Even as he watched it, spikes burst out of the gloves directly over each knuckle.

As he made his way to the weapons section, he remembered he left the keycard in the chamber. Walking back, he picked it off the seat and continued walking towards the weapons area.

He picked up half a dozen guns as soon as he reached it. Two of them Ingram shaped. The last one was a huge rifle with four barrels connected to a galvanized cylinder. It looked exactly like the mini gun he acquired from the biosphere, but was bigger, heavier and he suspected more powerful. Unlike the former, it had a strap that he could use to carry it over his shoulder like a backpack. Slinging it over his back, he walked forward heading to the area that had things like grenades, flares and explosives. They were arranged neatly on seven steel shelves placed on either side of the hall.

A strange contraption stood beside this shelf area. It looked like an exoskeleton suit. Running his hands over it, he was shocked at how strong it felt. There were also spaces at the back section of the suit that could hold weapons, supplies and pretty much anything else.

He was tempted to take it, but changed his mind at the last minute. The battle suit he wore ought to be enough. The threads of his battle suit absorbed the guns that were small enough. With the others, large straps and holsters popped out of the sides, into which he slipped the guns.

Walking forward with long brisk strides, he came upon a wide area filled with more than two dozen transportation vehicles. They were over eight hover cycles. Ten switch planes and massive all terrain style trucks that were so formidable looking, he could not help thinking it could take anything anyone could throw at it.

He hesitated, unsure of which sort of transport to take. The hover cycles were fast and nimble, the switch plane even more so, with the plane he could reach the coordinates in record time. The trucks were slower, but offered more protection.

“Take the hover cycle__”

Well that settled it. He walked to the largest one, which leaned on the wall to his extreme right.  It was massive almost five feet high and three feet wide. It had double exhausts and four laser cannons on either side.

He clambered on it and put his hands on the handlebars. His gloves rippled off revealing his skin. There was a beep as a red light coming from the handlebars quickly scanned his fingers. A heart beat later the engine started with a healthy growl.

He revved it several times as a section of the wall to his left slid down revealing a long driveway. Beyond that was sun baked sand stretching to the horizon.

The onboard computer on the hover cycle came on at that instant.
“Coordinates.”
It barked.

He quickly typed it in and waited. The computer plotted the coordinates into the map and came up with the location.

It read Himalayan Mountains. His face hardened with a puzzled frown. The words made no sense to him. Revving the engine several times, he accelerated crossing the driveway in seconds and hurtling towards the opposite horizon at mindboggling speeds.

The computer began to beep insistently as he hurtled over the desert sands. Looking down at it, he was shocked to see a thick cluster of black dots coming from the south heading towards the Himalayan Mountains.

It appeared the dots were going in the same direction he was. Studying the screen carefully, he realized they were not heading to the mountains as he had initially supposed, but to a point, directly along the path he was going to take.

“The ether-tome and its forces race to intercept you. It has been more than a millennium he sensed my presence. He knows I am guiding you. Now he wants to put an end to it.”

Fear filled Might’s heart at Eleyon’s words.

“What do I do?”

“Travel as fast as you can. I will help you.”

Those words did not offer as much comfort as they usually did. Before the fear could consume him however, he remembered how many times Eleyon had helped him. He had not failed once. Therefore, it seemed fair to assume that he would not fail this time. A strong feeling of trust surged on his insides as he increased speed.

“You have done well my son__ trust is faith, and because you have faith in me and not in your abilities, I will not fail or abandon you.”

A great wave of peace flooded Might’s spirit and he knew he would succeed. The hover cycle ate up the miles disappearing into the dusty gloom on the horizon.